Magnificent golden beaches fringed with tropical rainforest, Costa Rica’s Nicoya Peninsula in the north-west corner of the country was once the destination of choice for hippies and surfers. Today, large resorts dot much of the coastline yet travel away from the towns and you will find gorgeous boutique hotels tucked above miles of unspoilt beaches. Divided between Guanacaste Province in the north and Puntarenas in the south, Nicoya stretches 120km from head to toe. It offers a huge range of options from bustling, tourist towns such as Tamarindo to smaller, more secluded beach destinations such as Malpais, Santa Teresa and Nosara. Inland, Nicoya is much overlooked yet there is excellent walking, wildlife-spotting and adventure in the surrounding forest and national parks.